The present invention relates to display cases. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and means for cooling products displayed in such cases. This invention is useful in keeping plants or other products, including but not limited to flowers, cool while displaying them.
Existing cooled display cases for products such as plants, flowers and the like typically have a single display chamber through which cool air circulates. Vases or similar containers hold the upper ends of a plurality of products up for display. The bottoms of the vases rest on the bottom of the single chamber or on shelves extending partially across the single chamber. One shortcoming of this arrangement is that the cool air circulating in the single chamber tends to fall around the lower portion of the vase rather than be held near the upper ends of the flowers where the cool air is needed most.
Therefore a primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved means and method for cooling a display case.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a cooled display case having a stratifier panel extending across the display compartment so as to form an upper air well into which the upper ends of the product extend and a lower air well into which the lower end of the product and vase extend.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a cooled display case wherein air vents extend through and/or around the front of the stratifier panel for venting the cool air from the upper air well to the lower air well and returning the air to the cooling coil.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a cooled display case wherein the stratifier panel can be flat, sloped, or even stepped so as to include a series of downward steps such that the cool air cascades downwardly from an overhead outlet to the air vents at the front of the stratifier panel.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a cooled display case which is simple in construction, economical and durable in use.
These and other objects will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the drawings, description, and claims which follow.